Moscow court rules to keep French researcher Laurent Vinatier in Jail

A Moscow court ruled Thursday to keep French researcher Laurent Vinatier, arrested last month and accused of gathering military information, in pre-trial detention.

The 47-year-old works for a Swiss conflict mediation NGO and became the latest Westerner arrested in Russia in early June, officially charged with breaching Moscow’s “foreign agents” law.

Russia’s security services accuse him of collecting military information and his arrest came as tensions between Moscow and Paris escalated over Ukraine.

The Moscow City Court on Thursday rejected Vinatier’s appeal request to be placed in house arrest.

Vinatier appeared in court via video link, wearing a black T-shirt and sitting behind bars, speaking accented Russian and visibly emotional.

“I will try to speak Russian. I am an analyst, a researcher, a writer… I always wanted to adequately present the interest and position of Russia on international relations in my work,” he said.

“I love Russia, my wife is Russian, my life is linked with Russia,” he told the court, adding: “I do not understand why I am here.”

His lawyers gave addresses where he could be moved to be placed under house arrest.

Vinatier said this would allow him to support his wife and children, who he said are of school age.

French President Emmanuel Macron has demanded his release and the French consul general in Moscow was present at the hearing.

A court last month ruled to keep Vinatier in detention until August 5.

Vinatier is an adviser with the Geneva-based Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue and a veteran researcher on Russia and other post-Soviet countries.

Russia has arrested several Westerners during its Ukraine offensive, which ruptured ties with the West.

US journalist Evan Gershkovich has been held by Moscow on espionage charges he denies since March last year.